6th needs new leader

October 18, 2012

The Tribune's endorsement of Peter Roskam's return to Congress overlooks his record. He has represented the Illinois 6th Congressional District for three terms during which time he has espoused principles of supply-side economics that support low taxes for the wealthy and put budget balancing burdens solely on the backs of the middle class. This policy makes it extremely difficult for ordinary folks to achieve goals of upper mobility, e.g., home ownership and education of their children. Roskam's reactionary tax policies do nothing to further economic development in this district or the nation. Demand for products and services by a large middle class fuels a growing economy. A fair policy would be to spread the tax burden across all groups, minimizing the impact on each, as well as on federal support programs.

Leslie Coolidge, Roskam's Democratic opponent, brings to the table 28 years of experience as a certified public accountant and executive with the international accounting firm of KPMG. She knows the importance of a balanced budget and has credentials to address the country's budget and debt issues in a fair and impartial manner; where as, for years Roskam has been a member of a reactionary do nothing group in the House of Representatives whose primary goal was to obstruct the president's every move and obtain favored status for wealthy sponsors. Roskam's record and his refusal to debate Coolidge indicate he knows he lacks worthy broad-based ideas for addressing the country's problems. It’s time for Roskam to step aside. We need new leadership.